Perfect Encounter - Chapter 13.2
PROOFREAD BY AFREANA
Chapter 13.2
Qian Pei did not stop but seemed to think for a moment after getting into the sedan chair and said to An Zhifu: “I’ll think about it again.” After speaking, he lowered the curtain, and the sedan chair was lifted up.
An Zhifu stood for a long time, returned to his senses, and called a servant, ” Check whether Master Qian returned to Fu’an County or stayed at his residence in Zhonglan City.” The servant hurriedly went.
An Zhifu returned to the study. After thinking, he felt Qian Pei must have a solution for him. He must seize this opportunity.
The servant returned and said Master Qian entered his residence in Zhonglan City and did not return to Fu’an County. An Zhifu cheered, prepared a gift, tidied up a bit, and rushed towards Qian Pei’s house.
This time, the meeting with Qian Pei went smoothly, but Qian Pei looked quite helpless: “Master An, why are you doing this? Didn’t I say to wait for me to think again?”
An Zhifu said: “Master Qian, please think about it. It is a matter of my family’s life. I had to come here. I was unable to react for a while, but now I have a clear mind. Master Qian has difficulties, and I understand. It’s okay if Master Qian can’t tell me the details of the solution. But what the concerns are and what I can do, I hope Master Qian can give me some pointers. If this matter is solved, I will give 60% of the profit of this batch of goods to Master Qian, okay?”
Qian Pei did not say a word and hung his eyebrows in contemplation.
An Zhifu said: “Master Qian, I am sincere. It is urgent, otherwise, I would not have come. We are a family, not to mention the 60% profit, even if 80% or 100% of the profit of this batch of goods is to be given to Master Qian, it will be fine. I do not suffer a loss. We are a family. This business will last for a long time. Why should we be afraid of not earning money? In the first place, I’m doing this business thanks to Master Qian’s connection. That makes it also Master Qian’s business, right? Now that I’m in trouble, I’d like to ask Master Qian to help me again. I don’t want to ruin this business that was so hard to build. Master Qian only needs to say what you want me to do, and if I can help share the risk, I will not resist. As a family, I have no second thoughts.”
Qian Pei looked at An Zhifu and spoke: “I know Master An is anxious, but it is not easy for me to do this. As I said, Master An cannot share the risk. I have to carry it by myself. If not, it will also implicate my son. I would have done the business myself if I was greedy for profit. Why would I need to make the connection for others?”
An Zhifu nodded his head, accompanied by a smile.
Qian Pei said: “You’re saying we’re a family, but I know becoming Master An’s family is difficult.”
“How can it be!”
“After a month, the eldest girl will enter my family. According to reason, we’re indeed considered a family, but I know the eldest girl’s status in the An family. If something happens, Master An will not care about the life and death of the eldest girl, and this kind of in-laws cannot be considered family. If Master An abandoned everything, what would I do?”
An Zhifu shouted, ”I would not do this, Master Qian. She is my daughter.” He did not care much about his daughters, but what did Qian Pei mean when he said that? We all know it very well, can’t Qian Pei still care about the death of the girl he marries? What a joke!
Wait, An Zhifu suddenly realized something. He asked: “Then what should I do to make Master Qian feel at ease?”
Qian Pei picked up the teacup, took a sip of tea, and said slowly: “How about this, Mr. An’s family has four daughters, and I will marry another one along with the eldest girl. The sisters will become a pair, and our family’s relationship will be better. Be more reliable. What does Master An think?”
An Zhifu froze, not expecting this. Two?
An Zhifu’s mind turned. He will lose most of his money if this jade business is ruined. Even if he negotiates another marriage for his daughter, he will not be able to return these benefits. Fine!
“If Master Qian can help me get the goods back successfully and solve this difficulty, I will marry my second daughter to you. Two daughters serving one husband is also a beautiful thing.”
Qian Pei shook his head: “The second girl and the eldest girl are similar in age and appearance. What’s the point of marrying two similar ones?” He paused and looked at An Zhifu, “Let’s go with the fourth girl.”
An Zhifu froze again and opened his mouth. The words choked in his throat. The rumors of Qian Pei liking young girls flashed through his mind. His family’s fourth daughter is only twelve years old. He hesitated and persuaded, “Fang’er is too young. Why don’t we secure a marriage first and wait for her to reach maturity ……?”
Qian Pei waved his hand, blocking An Zhifu’s next words. He said: “Master An, go back and consider, but do not think too long. You know the current situation. Governor has driven the South Qin envoy away. The situation is uncertain. After two days, even if I am willing to take the risk, the goods probably cannot be taken out.”
An Zhifu was so anxious that his brain turned hot, he hurriedly said, “Master Qian, don’t misunderstand. This is a great thing. I don’t have much to think about. Of course, it is good. Let the two sisters get married together. What do you think, Master Qian?”
Qian Pei smiled: “Since Master An said so, then the matter settled.”
“That’s good, that’s good, we are a family. All things can be discussed.” An Zhifu breathed a sigh of relief, “Then according to Master Qian, when can I pick up the goods? What else do I need to do?”
“When Master An prepares the wedding ceremony for the fourth girl, you will naturally get the goods.”
An Zhifu was surprised in his heart, but at this point, he could only believe it.
He returned to the residence, thinking left and right, and summoned Mrs. Tan of the second house. He told her that Qian Pei would arrange for a matchmaker to come to the house to exchange the wedding gift, the wedding dress, and the dowry. But for the time being, it’s not good to be publicized. Mrs. Tan needs to be careful when handling the matter and say to the outside world that it was about organizing An Ruochen’s wedding. Don’t let the fourth house know about it, as to not cause trouble until he gets the goods back and business matters are stable.
Mrs. Tan was shocked when she heard An Zhifu say that he originally wanted An Ruoxi to be the one to marry. She was relieved to hear Qian Pei had taken a fancy to An Ruofang.
She said to An Zhifu: ”Mr. Qian took a fancy to the fourth girl, but he was afraid the master would not agree to marry her off, so he decided on the eldest girl. He must have thought there will be a chance to marry the fourth girl in the future. With the eldest girl there, the fourth girl will not be too flustered, and there will be better chance for the master to agree. This time, I am afraid that Master Qian just found an opportunity.”
An Zhifu was distracted, but now that he had to sacrifice another daughter, he was reluctant. Among the four daughters, An Ruofang was the youngest but the best in terms of beauty. At a young age, she grew up prettily, more than her mother by a few points. He planned to use his daughter’s looks to find a good marriage in exchange for benefits but would now need to waste her on Qian Pei.
An Zhifu waved his hand and did not want to listen to Mrs. Tan’s nagging again. The matter was settled and she was supposed to take care of it.
Mrs. Tan returned to her courtyard and carefully thought about this matter, feeling happy. She always disliked the fourth house, Mrs. Duan, a foolish village woman, illiterate, relying on her beauty to win the love of the master. She gave birth to a daughter, nothing to be proud of, but often bragged about her daughter’s beauty. It was easy to deal with the main wife, Mrs. Fan, but Mrs. Duan was a tough catch. She had managed to get back at Mrs. Tan for some of the losses she had suffered over the years and had made Mrs. Tan suffer a lot of anger by playing dirty tricks in secret. An Ruofang was born with a beautiful and compassionate appearance, which was also disgusting. Good, you go look beautiful and get favored by Master Qian, and there will be a good result.
The more Mrs. Tan thought about it, the more pleased she became. She called her daughter, An Ruoxi, for a talk. She told her Qian Pei was able to solve the trouble of the South Qin shipment for the master, who in return promised to marry off An Ruofang and let her enter the Qian family on the same day as An Ruochen.
“You must not publicize this, just keep it in your mind. I’m telling you this because I want you to know that your father originally intended to let you marry, but I fought tooth and nail with the master to stop it. In this house, people’s hearts are separated by their bellies. The several houses are all vicious-minded, and I do not know what they blew to your father’s ear, almost pushing you into the tiger’s mouth. Only your mother and your brother can be sincere with you. You remember this well. No matter what happens, your mother and your brother are the ones to rely on.”
An Ruoxi nodded repeatedly. She was scared that she actually almost had to marry that disgusting old lecher. Fortunately, it is not her.
“This is a wake-up call for us. We must be on guard. You have to be more cautious when you go around with your sisters in the residence, and if you feel something strange, come and tell Mother. Mother will protect you.”
An Ruoxi agreed, hugging her mother and cuddling up to her. When she thought of her fourth sister, she felt a little pity for her. She is only twelve.
The next day, a matchmaker came to the door. Mrs. Tan greeted them and received them in her courtyard to go over te details. The wedding date was set for October 24, the same day as the eldest sister. The two palanquins were to enter the Qian family’s door together. An Ruoxi listened to her mother and the matchmaker cheerfully discussing the wedding’s details, remembering that the one to be married was almost herself, and broke out in a cold sweat.
On the other hand, An Zhifu was anxiously waiting for the news. He heard An Ping report that something happened at the border.
On the way back to his country, the South Qin envoy felt deeply humiliated. He was filled with anger as he recounted the situation to the guards and governor of the South Qin border county Wu’an County, and then rushed back to the capital overnight to report to the South Qin Emperor. The people of Wu’an County have been negotiating with Pingnan County for a long time, and were furious at the insult that the South Qin envoy had to suffer.
An Zhifu was heartbroken to hear this. Then can he still get back his jade goods or not? He doesn’t want to lose another daughter for nothing. An Zhifu hurriedly went to Mrs. Tan and asked her to slow things down for a few days. Wait until there is news about the goods before finishing the engagement. Mrs. Tan reassured him that she knew it well.
After one more day, An Zhifu was summoned by Qian Pei and greeted with wine and food. Liu Deli was also present. Qian Pei sent all the servants away, with only the three of them remaining in the room, and told An Zhifu that things were almost done. He will notify him when to collect the goods. An Zhifu was overjoyed though still doubtful, but seeing Qian Pei and Liu Deli’s expressions, he didn’t dare to ask for more details. Liu Deli didn’t say much at the feast, he only drank and ate, joked, and scolded South Qin, but his attitude towards An Zhifu was much softer.
After the banquet, An Zhifu looked at his face and felt that information should be reliable.
When he returned to the house, he summoned Mrs. Tan and told her about the situation, so she could have a number in mind when dealing with the matchmaker. Mrs. Tan was happy to hear that things had turned for the better. At dinner time, a servant came to report that General Zong Zeqing was visiting. An Zhifu’s spirits were further lifted as he welcomed him.